Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Brain Pain Op-Ed

The Orange County Register recently ran an editorial column written by the executive medical director of the Hoag Hospital Neurosciences Institute. According to the article, he claims that chronic pain is often influenced by genetics and individual experiences.

As stated in the text, " ABC News recently reported the explosion in narcotic prescriptions,
with pharmacies dispensing 111 tons of medications in 2010, equaling 40
pills of Percocet and 24 pills of Vicodin for every person in the U.S." Due this, the occurrence of addictions and lethal overdoses have also increased. Painkillers are often very addicting and fast-acting, so the body grows to depend on them to remain at a normal functioning level. For those patients who have multiple surgeries in a row that require painkillers, the body often builds up a tolerance to the drugs, resulting in a higher dosage of drugs required to gain a painkilling effect. It should be noted that seniors and teens, in particular, show a rising rate of addiction. These addictions have a domino effect, resulting in patient crowding in hospitals and decreased level of care across the board. It also seems to be a difficult balancing act for physicians who want to help people in pain, but do not want to encourage a possible addiction.

Chronic pain, such as types arising from an injury or accident, are difficult to treat effectively. If you feel that you have chronic pain as the result of an accident due to the fault of another, it might be time to consult with an attorney. Attorney Doug Stoehr is a personal injury lawyer located in central Pennsylvania. For more on his law firm or to schedule a consultation, please click here.